The Flames Of Time
by Sapphire Dragon1
Summary: This is a S/B fic.It takes place after the circle opens.The four have come back to discipline and while sandry tries to come to terms with her love for briar bad things are happening inside winding circle and something bad happens to the duke Daja/Kirel
1. Default Chapter

The Flames of Time.  
  
O.k guys this is my first Circle of magic fanfic so please review and be nice!  
  
Chapter 1, When will we get there? Briar Moss shifted impatiently in his seat. He was fidgeting with his amazingly dirty handkerchief that his foster sister Sandry made him carry at all times. "Will you please calm down and stop moving around! You're driving me crazy; honestly you'd think that you had been away from home for eternity the way you're carrying on!" Dedicate Rosethorn said to him, half jokingly, half exasperatedly. Unlike her student, Rosethorn was nearly completely white, with red lips and brown hair and a stern, no-nonsense look about her. Briar on the other hand had skin the colour of the light bark of a tree. He had ebony hair and - being in his fifteenth year - was quite broad across the shoulders. He had dark mischievous eyes and a mischievous face that was not as childish as it used to be and he was growing to be very good looking.  
  
"Gods Briar I never thought that you'd be nervous about seeing your foster family. Briar rolled his eyes at his teacher. "I'm not nervous, I'm just excited, I haven't been home for a year!" he said witheringly, "as if I'd be nervous about seeing my best friends!" The coach travelled on, Briar could feel and hear the wheels and the horse's hooves rattling on the cobblestones. The two people were on their way to Winding Circle, the place in which Amazing, powerful and well known mages (and also young mage novices) studied and lived. It was where all the elemental temples were and each Dedicate (a fully trained and high ranking mage) was sworn to one temple like Rosethorn was dedicated to the Earth temple. Briar was getting very impatient "C'mon, C'mon!" he muttered.  
  
*********** Lady Sandraline Fa Toren, - Duke Vedris of Emelan's niece - sat at the kitchen table in Discipline Cottage weaving spells into cloth. Dedicate Lark; her teacher was sitting across from her doing the same. What she was doing right now was weaving a spell of health and good fortune into a shirt. Lark was watching what she was doing but keeping an eye on her own work at the same time. It was a beautiful day outside and the windows were all open, letting fresh, clean air into the cottage. While they worked the two women talked about all sorts of things and there was nothing that Sandry liked more than sitting, weaving and talking to her teacher.  
  
If anyone came into the cottage at that moment they would never be able to guess that Sandry was a noble Lady and in line to the throne of Emelan. She was dressed in a white shirt with a light blue dress pulled over it but she looked beautiful even with the simple clothes. Her skin - white but with a tan from being outside - shone, her long brown hair was pulled back with a clip and her blue eyes twinkled with merriment. Her absence of nose was quite disappointing to her though. Lark had clear skin the colour of milky coffee; she was wearing the green robes of the earth temple, she had dark eyes and dark crinkly hair. She was not as stubborn as Rosethorn but could be just as strict. "So are you looking forward to seeing your awful foster family again!" Lark said jokingly, remembering the time when all four students first met each other and despised each other!  
  
"Of course! I can't wait to see them! I think that it's good for them all to have a break from their students, gods know I wish I got to have a break from mine!" Sandry said. "Speaking of students, where's Pasco?" Lark asked. "Oh he's outside having meditation and dancing lessons with Yasmin" Sandry replied but at that moment a knock on the door sounded and she had to put down her material and go into the hall to answer it. She opened the door and gave a delightful yelp, "Uncle! How are you?" she said joyfully to the duke. "Oh fine, just came to check up on that favourite niece of mine!" the duke said, smiling; "The only niece of yours!" came Sandry's reply. The duke smiled and Sandry reached up and kissed his worn cheek.  
  
"You're Grace!" Lark said, coming out of the kitchen to greet the visitor, "For what do we owe this pleasure?" she said, smiling at the aged duke. It turned out that along with wanting to see his favourite niece, Duke Vedris wanted to talk to Yasmin about performing at the winter festival he was holding in his castle. Sandry called Pasco and the dancer in for some tea and biscuits and sat watching as Yasmin and the duke chatted on like the best of friends and when Yasmin agreed to do the festival the duke took her hand in his and kissed it. Sandry smiled, a romance might do the duke some good and there was no better person than Yasmin. 'I might just have to help them along a bit though!' Sandry thought to herself gleefully.  
  
************ Niko made a face, he hated going on boats but what was worse was when you got of a boat and went on a really long and bumpy horse ride. This day was just getting worse. Tris rolled her eyes and glared at him, he may complain but if he had to listen to himself going on about how sick he felt and how he was ever going to get through this, then he would know how awful and annoyed Tris felt. "Stop complaining! I can't believe a mage as powerful as you would actually get seasick! Can't you take something for it?" Tris said irritably. Niko moaned as an answer. Tris focused herself on her friends; it would take her mind off the bad-tempered old nag she was riding. "How far away are we from winding circle Niko?" she asked. "About half an hours ride and don't talk to me, I might be sick." Came the answer. "Lovely!" Tris muttered. She made a face and her glasses fell down her nose. She had wild red curly hair and wore a horrible dress that was very impropriate for riding. Her teacher had very dark brown skin and long silver and black hair. Tris was bored, she went into her mind and tried to mind-speak with her friends.  
  
"Hey Daja? Sandry? Briar? Any of you there?" she asked, there came back an excited squeal from Daja. "Tris, that you? Where are you and how come I can't get through to Sandry and Briar?" she asked, "They must both be blocking their mind-speech, and I'm half and hours ride from winding circle." "Yeah me too but I'm coming from the other side, oh I'd better go, Frostpine's started complaining about the cold! See you soon kaq!" Daja said jokingly. Tris came back to reality. She sat in the saddle, her nose in a book about the only known ambient mages (apart from her and her friends), (they had done so much travelling that Tris had perfected the art of reading at the same time as riding!)  
  
'An ambient mage is someone who doesn't actually use things for their magic so much as taking the essence and the being of things and using that. Ambient mages are very rare; there are only twenty known ambient mages in the whole of the world.' She read, 'the most famous of these live in winding circle, in Emelan. World famous Niklarian Goldeye is one of these.' It went on. That moment the noise of another horse came up behind them, it was early in the morning still and not many people were about on the roads. Tris turned to see who it was. A boy of about sixteen or seventeen was perched on top of a proud-looking black stallion whose tail and mane was gleaming and plaited. The saddle and the bridle were of expensive leather but the boy himself didn't look as rich as the person who owned the horse. He was wearing a simple white shirt tucked into riding breeches. He had skin blacker than coal and messy black hair to match. His eyes were dark but his smile warm. When he saw Tris staring at him he grinned, a flash of white teeth against black skin.  
  
Niko pulled on his reins and gestured for Tris to do the same. The boy rode up next to them and Niko engaged him in conversation. They found out that his name was Capta; he was sixteen and was going to winding circle to train his magic. He had been in another place like winding circle only smaller but had outgrown it and there was nothing else that Cataki School for Mages (the place where he was before) could teach him. When Niko and Tris introduced themselves he nearly fell out of the saddle before staring at them agog. Then he tried to bow in the saddle to them but gave up and knuckled his forehead in respect instead. "Niklarian Goldeye and Trisana Chandler! The great mage and one of his famous students! Everyone from Emelan to Cataki and beyond has heard of Niklarian Goldeye and the four most powerful students ever! Trisana Chandler, Daja Kisubo, Lady Sandraline Fa Toren and Briar Moss, that's right isn't it?" Tris was amazed! It seemed that some people knew more about her and her foster-siblings than she did! Capta laughed that he had never seen anyone read on a horse before and made Tris blush. As they were all going to winding circle they decided to keep each other company until they got there.  
  
********** "Oh give over Frostpine, how can you be freezing? It's the middle of the summer!" Daja asked her teacher incredulously. "I think the weather I've had to put up with back there has got through to me a bit too much, it was below freezing!" Frostpine grumbled. "Well I'll tell you this much, you gave the housemaid a real shock when she found you sitting, meditating stark naked in the fire!" Daja teased. "Her screams woke the whole house up!" "Yeah well, she must've seen a naked man before, I just can't get used to the fact that everywhere is so different to winding circle where it would be considered perfectly normal to be sitting in a fire!" Frostpine said. "Oh I've just mind-spoken to Tris; we should arrive at discipline at about the same time as her." Daja informed the big, burly man.  
  
His skin was as black as was possible, his muscles huge from all the blacksmith work he did. He wore the red robe worn by all dedicates of the fire temple. He had a bald crown but had a huge bushy, black mane coming down from the rest of his head. Daja had very dark skin, eyes like coals and also had big, muscular, blacksmith arms from working in the forge. She wore britches and a blue top and had her huge trader staff (made of ebony with a cap on top) strapped across her mounts back. The smooth metal on it told her whole life's story. About how her family was killed in a shipwreck and how she became and outcast trader, trangshi, meaning bad luck. Then came about how Niko had rescued her and how she went to be a mage at winding circle temple. Then about her rescuing hundreds of traders from a forest fire and being let back into the trader circle but choosing to stay at winding circle. 'And I'll be back there soon!' she thought happily.  
  
************ O.k. that's the first chapter, kinda pointless but I just wanted a beginning. Please read and review! I'll write in again soon. 


	2. Happy Reunions

************* Just to let you know, Evvy and the others have all stayed at home (except Pasco seeing as he lives in Summersea. I might put them in later but because Shatterglass (Tris's book) hasn't come out yet, I don't know what her student's like. Anyway, here's the next chapter, Enjoy and PLEASE review! Oh also if you want you can review and give me your e-mail address and I'll e-mail you when I put a new chapter up o.k.! and the guy Tris and Niko met is called Capta  
  
************* Chapter 2. Happy Reunions.  
  
There was a knock on the door of Discipline Cottage. Sandry jumped up from her seat where she had been sitting, waiting for her friends and jumping at the sound of anything that sounded remotely like a cart or horses. "I'll get it!" she yelled as she ran to the front door. Lark followed, smiling and chuckling to herself. "Briar!" Lark heard the sound of Briar's voice grumbling but it was slightly muffled. Turning around she saw why. Sandry had wrapped her arms round him and he could barely breathe. Realizing what she had done and that she had actually shown that she was happy to see him, Sandry quickly released him and patted him awkwardly on the shoulder instead. Lark saw Rosethorn chuckle and hurried to meet her best friend. She hugged Rosethorn tight and said, "Thank Gods you're back Rosie! We've been desperately lonely without you and the rest of the gang here." She was cut short by the sound of Daja and Tris's horses and shouts of everyone's names. Fifteen minutes of kisses and hugs later everyone was sitting around the table in Discipline talking about their year away. At one point Lark went all teary-eyed and went round and started giving hugs to everyone. Briar saw the danger and escaped before he had to suffocate, again! After a while the group noticed that Briar had gone so Sandry volunteered to go and search for him.  
  
She found him up on the roof, looking far away at Dedicate Crane's greenhouse. "Hey! 'You okay?" Sandry asked. Briar jumped and nearly fell off the roof. "Gods Sandry you scared me!" he said. She smiled gently and sat down next to him. "So, you crept off before I could hear what you did this summer. I know about Evvy from your letters but not much more, so tell me" she said. Briar looked at her for a minute then sighed and turned back to staring out at the distance. "Not much, chasing street gang leaders, murderers, that sort of thing. Oh and trying to put up with a very annoying thirteen year old girl!" he answered, "What have you been doing?" Sandry didn't answer, her eyes held a haunted look like she was remembering some awful things and she was trembling. Briar didn't know where to look, there was an awkward silence. As Sandry looked off into the distance Briar studied her face. She looked older, wiser and prettier. A strand of her long hair blew free from the rest of it and started dancing about in the breeze. She absentmindedly tucked it back behind her ear. Her skin was clear and soft and her blue eyes looked so deep that Briar could just stare at them forever- oh what was wrong with him? He wasn't supposed to think these things! He was her foster-brother and she was an annoying little noble!  
  
He was astonished when she suddenly leaned over and gave him a huge hug. "It's great to see you Plant Mage," she said, before jumping up and going back downstairs leaving Briar to his own confusing thoughts.  
  
That night they were all sitting around the fire in the living room, Tris was reading, Sandry weaving, Daja repairing some jewellery of Sandry's, Briar was labelling some bottles of Rosethorn's medicine and Frostpine, Niko, Lark and Rosethorn were sitting in a corner talking quietly. After a while Niko announced that they had something to tell them all. "You know once a year in the market place they have a kind of fair and there are lots of stalls selling things. Well this year we want all of you to make something that has to do with your magic and talent. You think of the idea yourselves and then you make lots of whatever it is and then you sell them on market day." "Uh sorry if I'm being a bit slow here Niko but.why?!" Tris said sarcastically. "We want you to use your imagination and see what you can do with your magic." Tris grumbled and turned back to her book. Briar rolled his eyes and started muttering to himself but Daja and Sandry just accepted it.  
  
"Oh and his grace is holding winter feasts and balls and we're all attending them. No exceptions!" Lark added, glaring at Briar as if to say 'don't even think about trying to argue your way out!' Briar didn't pay any attention to it. "WHAT?!" he exploded, "I'm not going to dress up and prance around a ballroom like some sissy noble!" Sandry looked hurt. "You really think you know what nobles are like but you don't! Okay some of them can be really mean but think of me and my uncle, we're noble and you like us!" she said to him. Briar felt ashamed and looked down. "Look this is ridiculous! We're going to the castle and that is that!" Rosethorn said in a slightly annoyed and angry voice. No one dared to argue with her when she was in a mood like that.  
  
************** The next morning Daja woke up very early to the sound of the birds singing. She stretched, got out of bed, got washed and dressed and then started rooting around under her bed. She found what she was looking for, it was a box, a special box, it used to have life provisions in which had kept Daja alive when she was stranded on an island, her family all drowned. If she hadn't found that box she would have died. Now all the provisions were gone but instead, inside the box she stored all her provisions. She had all types of metal in there, oils to make it softer, polishes and all sorts of things. She already knew what she would make for the fair and she was going to start right away.  
  
She carried her precious box downstairs and into the kitchen. She was making herself a few slices of toast when there was a knock at the door and when she opened it a handsome black boy, about a year older than her was standing on the doorstep. "Hello, um.I'm Capta, I'm a new mage, uh.is Tris in at the moment?" Daja was about to answer when Tris herself walked into the room. Her red hair was wild, static and all over the place, her glasses had been knocked askew, she wore plaid pyjamas and her face was screwed up from stifling a yawn. "Hey Daja have you- oh gods!" she noticed Capta and her face went bright red. She stood, frozen to the spot, watching Capta who was grinning at her. "Capta, I.w.what are you doing here? No, wait, don't answer that, I'll be back in a moment just wait there." She turned and ran back upstairs, her wild hair flying out all over the place. "Please, sit down!" said Daja, remembering her manners after that amusing moment. Capta sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. They made small talk until Tris came flying back down the stairs, she had dressed and made an attempt to tame hair which hadn't really worked but still at least she looked better than she had a few minutes before.  
  
Daja excused herself, apologising to them but saying she had to go to Frostpine's smithy. She collected her box and walked quickly up to the forge. Frostpine was inside and was taking a long piece of iron out of the fire with his bare hands. Kirel was also there, he was pumping the bellows at a white hot fire in the corner of the forge. He looked up when she came in and smiled warmly at her. She returned the smile and laid out her work pieces. Somehow Kirel's smile had made her livelier and she set about her work happily and enthusiastically. She had decided that she would make two things, she knew she would be able to make a live metal plant, like she did accidentally in her third year in winding circle and she wanted to make a few of them, also she was going to make some of the mirrors that she made that year, the mirrors that could tell what magic someone had just by them looking in it. It would take time but it would be worth it and both things would sell very well, she was sure of that.  
  
About two hours later she had worked, shaped and given life to about twenty pieces of metal, some were shaped like roses, others like little trees, some of them had even got metal fruit growing on them! All of them were twisting and growing every minute. She had used all sorts of metals, with some she had roses with gold and silver petals and bronze stems and leaves, with others she had used less precious metals like iron and copper. She had used such amazing details like having a bronze leaf but working the veins up it in gold. She knew what an amazing achievement this was and she was very proud of them. She had been working in the corner of the forge so Kirel and Frostpine couldn't see what she was doing; she wanted it to be a surprise for them. She was tired, it was hot inside the forge as well as hot outside and she wanted to go somewhere to cool off. She announced that she was taking a break and to her surprise Kirel asked if he could come with her. She told him that of course he could and they set off outside the forge unaware of Frostpine's eyes following them, a knowing smile set on his face.  
  
They quickly went to Discipline and Daja grabbed some things to eat. Nobody else was around the house. Then they set off up one of the big hills with trees on the top, there was a small stream up there and they sat in the shade together underneath one of the big trees, dangling their feet in the stream. They talked about lots of things, Daja's life as a trader, about metal and Frostpine, but they also talked a lot about Kirel. Daja was surprised to find out that she didn't really know him at all. They had never really talked about each other or their families but Daja found out so much about Kirel in that half hour. He was the oldest in a family of eleven children or 'kids' as Briar called them. His mother had died giving birth to Carrie, the eleventh child who was now three years old. His father had died shortly afterwards of a heart attack. He had always had a weak heart and had been unable to carry on without Kirel's mother to look after him. All his family were taken in by a young couple who had wanted lots of kids. But when they realised he was a mage they let him go to winding circle to be trained. Kirel sighed, "I go and visit them at every opportunity. They're all happy but I miss them a lot." He said.  
  
Daja found that she really liked Kirel and she had never found out before now. Of course he wasn't Briar but he was still nice. They talked some more but it was getting so hot. Daja suddenly unbuttoned her shirt and took off her britches. She had her swimsuit on underneath as she had been planning to go swimming all along. She ran and dived into the stream. She swam along underneath the water before emerging for air. As she took a deep breath she looked at Kirel and laughed. He was standing up, his face dumbstruck and when he noticed her looking at him he looked down at his hands which he started playing with absentmindedly. He had no idea of where to look; it just didn't seem decent to watch her, this beautiful goddess swimming with such happiness and carefreeness in the clear blue water. It was so strange, she seemed to have changed a lot over the past year and obviously so had he. He had always admired her for her metal working and he had always liked her as a friend but he had never actually talked to her or got to know her at all. And now he found that he really liked her.he liked her a lot. *************** Yey! Another chapter finished! Oooh, Kirel likes Daja! But does Daja like Briar??? That chapter was quite long and could've been a bit boring but still. Please guys could you review and tell me what you think. Also if you guys like Kel/Neal fanfics I have one going at the moment if you want to read that. It's called Squire Kel's crazy mixed up life. If you go to the find button and search for sapphire dragon it will come up on that and if you do read it could you review it?! Well I'll put another chapter up soon so BYE!!! 


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

Okay, sorry 'bout this but I've just read street magic again and I've realised I've forgotten that Evvy was coming back with them so I'm going to put it in this chapter. Please review guys!  
  
*************** Chapter 3. An unexpected visitor "Briar! Briar get up now!" a hand shook him roughly awake. Briar sat up in his bed, the dim light shining through the drapes told him it was about three in the morning. He looked up into Rosethorn's ivory skinned face. "What?!" he glared at her. "Get a bed robe (a dressing gown) on and come downstairs now!" Was all she said. With that, she turned and walked quickly out of the room. Briar scrambled to get out of bed, something had to be wrong, he knew. He grabbed his bed robe and followed his teacher downstairs. Sitting at the kitchen table, drinking hot cocoa, her dirty face streaked with tears and her hair in disarray sat."Evvy!" Briar gasped. "What.What are you doing here?" Evvy looked up at him, and promptly burst into tears. Briar noticed that she was holding the roll of cloth with the stones in that he had bought to teach her to read with, hugging it to her chest like it would run away if she didn't. "Pahan Briar!" she sobbed. Rosethorn was standing next to her trying to comfort her. Suddenly she gasped, "Briar quickly, go and get my medical bag from the workroom." Briar disappeared, coming back almost instantaneously with her bag that held all sorts of medicines and ointments.  
  
"Look at this!" Rosethorn whispered to him. He walked over and Rosethorn lifted up Evvy's fringe to reveal a large, swollen, purple and black bruise, about two days old on her forehead. Briar was astonished and furious at the same time, "Who did this to you?" he demanded, while Rosethorn smoothed some healing ointment onto the bruise. Evvy didn't answer, she just sobbed. They found more bruises on her legs and arms. Briar was beside himself with rage and kept pestering Evvy with questions until Rosethorn spun around to face him and yelled, "For Mila's sake Briar! She's tired and upset, leave her be until tomorrow!" Briar fell silent after that. Rosethorn found a nightdress that would fit Evvy and she washed quickly and got changed for bed. They set up a camp bed in Rosethorn's room and Evvy fell asleep the instant her head touched the pillow. Rosethorn led Briar out to the hall where all of Evvy's belongings and about eight cats and four kittens were dumped. The cats were all yelping and didn't stop until Briar let them out of their cat-carry. "She arrived just fifteen minutes ago. She was on a horse and had been travelling for hours, asking directions from the rocks along the way. She didn't want to draw attention to herself by asking people." Rosethorn whispered to him. "You're tired boy, go to bed and we'll sort this out in the morning." Briar obeyed willingly. The last thing he heard before dropping off to sleep was Rosethorn going into Lark's room to let her know about their visitor.  
  
*************** Sandry woke up early and went downstairs and into the kitchen. Nobody was about but suddenly the door to Rosethorn's room opened. She looked up about to greet the older woman but stopped when she realised that she was looking down at a sleepy ten year old girl (okay I know I said thirteen but as I've said I just re-read street magic and found out that they're all ten-elevenish so I'm changing what I said originally) who was rubbing her eyes. Sandry froze, startled. The girl looked up and her expression changed to one of fear. Sandry smiled at the girl uncertainly. The girl looked at her and darted back into Rosethorn's room. "What is it girl?" she heard Rosethorn's voice say angrily from the room. The new girl came out of the room, dragging at Rosethorn's sleeve. "What? Oh that's Sandry, Briar's foster-sister. You woke me up over that?" Rosethorn said. "Um.who's she?" Sandry asked. "She is Evvy, Briar's student, she got here last night. It's a long story and I'm not even sure of most of it but we'll sort it out when everyone gets down here." Rosethorn answered, and after deciding that there was no point in going back to sleep she set about making porridge for their breakfast.  
  
Soon enough Daja, Tris, Briar and Lark joined them. After names and odd looks had been exchanged everyone sat down and listened to Evvy's story. "We were planning on taking her back with us to Winding Circle but on the way home we found a stone-mage with a good reputation who decided he would take Evvy on as a student. She was pleased because she liked the mage who would teach her so she decided to stay with him." Rosethorn explained, "From then on is her story, I'm not sure what happened after we left her." So Evvy explained to them what had happened. "At first he was nice to me and he would reward me when I was working well but then he started telling me to do things that I couldn't do without him teaching it to me and when I told him I couldn't do it he got angry and made me spend days cleaning his mansion from top to bottom. Then it got worse and he started to beat me so I ran away. I packed all my clothes and belongings and of course my cats and I took one of the horses from the stable and I set out in the middle of the night. I went for hours in the wrong direction but then I asked the stones which way to go and they gave me the right directions. Then I found you in this cottage." Evvy finished up. "You won't send me back will you?! No please don't! I couldn't bear it!" she added pleadingly as an afterthought, her eyes wide and her face filled with fear.  
  
"Well, we're certainly not going to send you back to that place Evvy. You'll have to stay here and continue your lessons with Briar. We might be able to find a different mage that will help you here in Winding Circle. We'll have to talk to Niko about this, but in the meantime we'll set up a bed for you here and you can stay until we've sorted this mess out." Lark said soothingly to the frightened girl. After breakfast Evvy automatically started clearing up just to show everyone that they wouldn't regret keeping her and to make sure that none of them changed their minds. The four students helped her and within five minutes the kitchen was sparkling clean. Daja announced that she was going to the forge, Tris curled up on the sofa with a book, Briar sat teaching Evvy to read and Sandry thought about what she was going to make for the fair. She was going to sell spelled cloth and all types of material but she wanted to do something creative also. The nightmare she had last night had given her an idea. She would try and make a web, a web that would catch bad dreams and hold them so people could sleep well at night. She could decorate it too; she would call it a.dream catcher. That was a good name.  
  
She set about working in secret. First she needed some strong thread to weave the web with. She found some in Lark's workshop and started weaving an intricate and delicate web in a round circle. She got a bead and spelled it with good dreams and wove that into the pattern, spelling the thread to keep out bad dreams all the time. When she had done that she decided that she needed a ring to support the thread. She measured the web and made a ring made of leather wrapped around metal (she didn't use wood out of respect for Briar) and then put the web inside the ring. That done she started looking around for things that she could decorate it with. She looked for ages but found nothing and was despairing when a bird suddenly fluttered past the window. Of course! She could put feathers on it. She also knew a way of getting a lot of them without hurting any birds. Tris had adopted three exotic birds a while ago that were hurt. She took care of them until they were fit to fly away but while they were with her they left brightly coloured feathers everywhere. So Tris had kept them as a memory of her little friends.  
  
Now Sandry went out to Tris and asked if she could use them. Tris was very reluctant but in the end she agreed grudgingly. She fetched a box out of her room and gave it to Sandry. When she opened the lid Sandry gasped out loud. She had forgotten just how many feathers they had dropped! There were hundreds of them and in all colours too, ranging from purple to blue or gold to silver. She thanked Tris profusely then ran back to the workshop to attach three different sized feathers to the dream catcher. She spent hours making dream catchers of all colours and sizes. But when she had finished she was extremely happy with her work. She hid her creations in a large chest of her special belongings up in her bedroom. She just needed to get some materials and she would be ready to sell her wares at the market.  
  
*************** The Winding Circle Temple's Council took their seats and waited for Dedicate Moonstream, the head of Winding Circle, to walk in. Everyone was wondering why Dedicate Moonstream had called this emergency meeting. All the head mages were there, Niko, Lark, Rosethorn and Rosethorn's archenemy Dedicate Crane were just a few of the people seated at the large table. Niko was sitting with a grave look on his face; he knew what the problem was. When the head Dedicate walked in everyone stood. She made a motion for them to sit down. When everyone was comfortable and listening Dedicate Moonstream launched straight into the centre of the problem. "As I'm sure you all know there are certain amazingly complex spells that guard Winding Circle and stop it from being attacked or harmed in any way. These spells are in the form of objects and Niko here and I both carry these objects that hold the spells. Of course there are other smaller spells protecting the temples but they can be removed easily by an experienced and professional mage. So we almost completely depend on these objects to protect Winding Circle. These objects that hold the spells have been stolen from me and Niko" the woman looked gravely around the room at the shocked and stunned faces.  
  
"It was virtually impossible to be able to steal these objects, or so we thought. I had three spells that were the work of the air, water and metal temples. Niko had the two others that were the work of the fire and earth temples. Each temple worked for generations to create their personal spell and the spells have been passed down the line through all the Winding Circle head mages." She said and Niko took over, "We did not lose these spells or were careless with them. In fact we had protection spells of the strongest laid on them which tells us that the mage who took them must have been as strong as any one of us. My fire spell took the shape of a flame pendant and the earth spell was a tree pendant. I made both of these invisible and put them on an invisible chain around my neck which I never took off so nobody knew I carried these. Moonstream did the same with hers and it worked for years up until yesterday. Last night my chain was snatched off me while I slept as was Moonstream's. So while these are gone, Winding Circle is defenceless in its walls and barriers and could be completely and utterly destroyed."  
  
****************** Tris and Capta walked down by the earth temple gardens. They were talking and laughing together. Tris learned that he was just a normal mage but wanted to become a dedicate of the air temple when his magic had been trained. He loved reading and was very outgoing too. Funnily enough though, when Tris asked about his family and where he was from, he went silent and didn't say any more. It wasn't as fun after that, Capta was silent and Tris couldn't think of anything to say that would make him laugh. "So where's that big horse of yours being stabled?" she asked to break the awkward silence. "The stables" he replied, looking at her with an expression that said 'are you stupid? That's obvious isn't it?!' Tris was embarrassed and abruptly changed the subject back to magic. As soon as she did that the older boy perked up and acted completely normal again. "I'm being an apprentice to The Honoured Dedicate Moonstream." He told her. "Wow!" Tris was very impressed. This boy must be a powerful mage to have just come into Winding Circle and to go straight into apprenticeship with one of the most powerful mages in that time. But again when she mentioned his power he automatically started brooding over something. She couldn't place her finger on what it was, but there was something strange about this new boy.  
  
********************** How was that chapter guys? I hope it was o.k. So anyway please review! And Happy New Year! I'll put another chapter up soon. 


	4. At the Market

Chapter 4. At the market. "Briar! Briar get up! We've arrived!" a hand shook him roughly awake. Briar groaned and rolled over, pulling his blanket over his head. But the hand persisted and Briar sat up angrily, ready to start yelling at whoever it was who was disturbing his sleep. Daja's face peered over the blanket, grinning at him. "C'mon plant mage, we're here!" she said again before jumping down off the wagon and running over to help Tris and Sandry start setting up stalls. Briar sighed before pulling off the blanket and slowly getting up to help Rosethorn and Evvy sort out the medicines. The time had flown since Niko announced that they were to make things for the market and suddenly the day had come and all four teenagers were excited, as was Evvy who had decided to sell some precious stones on Briar's stall. It was about eight o'clock in the morning and nobody else except stallholders were in the market square. Briar grumbled thinking about the hours of sleep he had missed when they had to load up the wagon that Lark would drive to the marketplace. He yawned widely; he'd never get up this early ever again!  
  
Sandry sighed happily, what a beautiful morning this was! Her little table had been set up in between Daja and Briar's tables. She hadn't got a clue what the other three had made but was looking forward to finding out when they set up their wares. She looked over at Briar and had to stifle a giggle, his face was so grumpy and his mouth was permanently scrunched up with yawning! She was so intent on watching Briar that she didn't even notice Rosethorn creeping up behind her until the older woman's voice growled, "If you're not too busy you might think about helping your teacher over there!" Sandry jumped and looked at Lark who was struggling with a heavy chest of cloths. She ran over to help her teacher while Rosethorn walked back to her stall of medicines. Sandry was surprised how heavy the chest was but when she looked at Lark, her teacher explained, "The cloth themselves don't weigh anything, it's the chest, it's made of heavy iron." Sandry nodded wisely, "I was wondering!" she said.  
  
As Tris reached behind her stall to take out her box with all her objects in, she stopped, took a hasty glance around her and opened the lid just a crack so she could see the letter that was unfolded on top of everything else and re-read it for the fifth time. Dear Tris, (it said) I hope you will forgive me for the way I acted the other day in the garden, I know I seemed very distant and I might have been acting strangely and there is no explanation except to say that I was very worried about some things and I was in a bad mood but I'm fine now and I apologise deeply to you. You will not see me for a week because I'm going to visit my family (my little sister is sick) but I hope to see you as soon as I come back and I hope that you will accept my apology. All my love Capta. That note had been pushed under Discipline Cottage door in a sealed envelope with 'Tris' written on it the previous morning. She had been very puzzled about who it had been sent by but when she read it she immediately relaxed, she had been worried about the way he had been acting but now her mind was at ease again. She looked around to make sure nobody was watching her and sighed, then started taking out her wares.  
  
Daja gently coaxed the silver rose to open its petals but it was obstinate and refused to welcome the sun. She put the plant back into her work box and went to fetch Briar. He hadn't put his wares out yet so she didn't know what he was selling. "Uh Briar? Could you help me with something?" she asked him. He looked up, frowning but shrugged, "Yeah why not. What do you need help with?" he asked her. She led him over to her stall and took the rose out of the box and showed it to him. "What d'you think?" she asked him proudly. Briar whistled softly, "It's brilliant!" he said, "It really is brilliant!" Daja tried to stop herself blushing with pride but failed miserably. In the end she just asked him if he could maybe put some power into it to make it open its petals. Briar agreed and put his hand on it and automatically the petals opened one-by-one. Daja thanked him and showed him her other metal trees. He was really impressed and congratulated her but then went back to his own stall to set up.  
  
Evvy wandered from stall to stall after she had set up and polished her precious and semi-precious stones that she would sell on Briar's stall. She looked at Briar's wares, he was selling mini plants and special oils and things that were made from plants that would make your skin soft or clean and even this thing called shampoo that you put on your hair and he guaranteed it would be gorgeous. At Rosethorn's stall she was selling medicines, Lark was selling clothes, Sandry was selling these things she called dream- catchers that looked amazing and she was also selling cloth spelled with good luck or happiness or even invisibility! Daja was selling metal plants and beautiful mirrors and Tris was selling.Evvy stopped walking and looked at Tris's stall closely.  
  
What were they? She could see a glass ball, a sort of globe on top of a strong metal stand, there were about thirty of them. Were they future predicting balls? But when she looked into one there was nothing, just a clear blue colour with white spaces. Tris popped her head up from behind her stall and looked at Evvy. She glared at her suspiciously but when Evvy asked her what the balls did her face brightened up. "It's a weather predicting globe! You look into it and you see what the weather will be like if there's a storm then you see flashes of lightning and hear thunder, if it's foggy there will be a swirling mist inside it e.t.c. If you look in now you can see blue with patches of white which stands for the sky. It will be blue with only a few clouds in it which tells you that good weather is coming." "What a wonderful idea!" Evvy exclaimed and Tris looked pleased.  
  
Soon people started to appear in the market and expressed an interest in their stalls. Very soon the market was crowded with throngs of people shouting and laughing and bargaining. There were shouts of "50! C'mon I'll give you 50 for it you can't get much fairer than that.WHAT?! 100! That is way over the top! I'm not paying 100 for that!" There were people muttering and swearing about being cheated out of this or being underpaid for that but most people were good natured and happy. People were a bit wary of Tris, Daja, Briar and Sandry because they recognised them as the mages who caused trouble four years ago in the market on the day they discovered they were mages. But once they saw what they were selling there were hordes of people bargaining for them and wanting to by their wares. Suddenly there was a fanfare of trumpets and a huge carriage appeared with a herald shouting, "The Emperor and the royal family of the great country Kalam are approaching!" Heads craned to look at those emerging from the royal carriage.  
  
Tris couldn't see very well over the heads of the people. She could make out the shapes of about five people get out of the carriage though. After a few minutes the market got back to the general chaos and hustle and bustle. It looked like the royal family split up but went around with about five bodyguards each. Suddenly the crowds around her stall parted and a boy walked in the middle towards her. This was the prince of Emelan's neighbouring country Kalam and the emperor's son with his five bodyguards around him. Tris automatically bent her head in respect and did not look up until the prince read the sign out loud, "Weather predicting globes! Interesting! How much pray do they cost?" as soon as Tris heard that voice she immediately recognised it and looked up. "Capta!" she exclaimed, just as her friend yelped, "Tris!" He was wearing expensive loose silk clothes with fancy edging and embroidery on, he had a purple turban on his head with a large jewel in the middle of it, smelt of rich spices and fresh mint and was wearing jewelled rings on his fingers but it was definitely him. "You.you" Tris stammered, she was unable to talk properly with shock and rage. "Tris listen, let me explain!" Capta said frantically but Tris quickly placed a protection spell on her wares so nobody could steal anything, then turned and walked quickly through the crowd with people staring after her and Capta and his bodyguards following her. Tris soon came to a dead end and had to turn around and face the prince.  
  
Capta signalled for his guards to keep the crowds away then turned and approached Tris cautiously. "Tris let me explain.just please listen." He began but stopped when suddenly a ferocious wind blew up, nearly knocking people off their feet and lighting flashed in the sky. Tris had snapped. "Listen!" she cried, "I don't want to listen! How dare you? You lied to me!" She had sparks all over her body and had to force herself to stay calm. When she was calm enough the wind and lightning died down and there was a blue sky again. "Tris, I didn't-" Capta began but Tris cut him off. "Didn't what? Didn't tell me that you were royalty? Forgot to mention it I dare say. Just slipped your mind did it? You made me look like a fool, I bet you enjoyed seeing me act so stupidly. I bet you don't even have a sick sister! You know what Capta, Or should I say Your Highness (she gave a mock bow) just stay away from me alright?! You lied to me and I don't want to talk to you or see you again." she stalked past him but he grabbed hold of her and shook her hard and was about to speak again when she pulled herself free of his grasp and shoved him backwards into the wall before stalking off again.  
  
It wasn't long before all the students and their teachers had sold out of their stocks so the packed up and were ready to go. Everyone had seen the lightning and were asking Tris what had happened but she refused to answer, even to Rosethorn and Lark. Soon they were on their way back to Winding Circle. Everyone was talking excitedly about their day except Tris who was sitting in the corner of the wagon sullenly, seething with fury. 


	5. Arguments

Chapter 5. Arguments. "This is wonderful you four! All of you have sold everything you had! And we've all agreed that your projects were astounding. You all put a lot of thought and effort into those items and we appreciate it because we can now see what stage you are at in you learning." Niko said, turning around from the table he was sitting at with the other three teachers. Tris was sitting in the corner, lost in thought but her scowl was one of anger and sadness. Daja and Sandry were talking quietly while Briar tended to his shakken plant. Evvy was sitting quietly on the floor, practicing her reading and writing using the stones Briar had given her in the cloth pockets. All four students and Evvy looked up, startled when Niko spoke; they had been so engrossed in what they were doing. When they realised what he had said all except Tris smiled. There was a sudden knock at the door and Tris jumped up, "I'll get it!" she said. She ran to open the front door. Sandry could see that when she saw who it was her shoulders sagged a little. Whether it was from relief or disappointment she didn't know. "Sandry! Your student's here!" she yelled, then stomped back inside and plonked herself down on the floor in a huff. "Tris!" Lark said disapprovingly and reproachfully, "You should know better than to leave Pasco standing on the doorstep like that. I thought you had better manners." Tris just muttered something under her breath and rolled her eyes. Lark and Niko exchanged a worried look.  
  
Sandry came in leading a very wet Pasco. "It's pouring out there!" he said, "And in the middle of the Carp Moon (March) too!" he exclaimed. "Carp Moon showers!" Rosethorn muttered to nobody in particular. Pasco went and sat down in a chair by the fire until he realised he was sitting next to Evvy. He jumped out of his seat and Sandry said lazily, "Pasco this is Evvy, she's Briar's student. And Evvy this is Pasco, he's my student." Evvy suddenly got up and said, "Um, I have to go.go get something." She ran out of the room. Pasco stared after her in puzzlement, "What was that about?" he asked. "Evvy's shy" Briar said then muttered to himself, "Well, she's shy at first!" Pasco stood and made his way to the door. "Well maybe I should go after her, see if she's okay." Briar glared at him in a 'don't try anything or else' way. Ignoring the look Pasco walked out the door.  
  
Pasco found Evvy up on the roof of Discipline. He quietly came up next to her and said, "Um sorry, did I do something back there?" Evvy jumped and glared at him. "You know for a Money-Bag you're quite rude! I thought you were all taught manners and how to be proper. Obviously I was wrong!" Pasco spluttered in protest, "What!" "Well you could have at least told me you were behind me. And why did you have to follow me, I went out of the room so I could be by myself Bag." Evvy said witheringly. "What did you call me?" Pasco said incredulously. "Bag, you know, all those rich people who think they own everyone, people like you!" Evvy answered. "I'm not rich!" Pasco protested. "Huh sure you're not. Well even if you aren't, you still think you're on top of everyone." Evvy said in disbelief. "Excuse me but you have known me for what.three seconds? What makes you think you know what I'm like?" Pasco shouted at her, scrambling to his feet. "C'mon! The way you waltzed into the room like you owned the place and sat down in the big armchair. Anyone could see you're a Bag!" Evvy answered, turning her back on him. Pasco stood, looking at her back and stuttering to himself in disbelief before shaking his head, saying "Huh!" and climbing down the ladder and off the roof, just in time to hear Evvy mutter, "Bag!"  
  
******************** The next morning Briar woke up and walked downstairs, yawning to himself. Sandry was the only person in the kitchen as usual and was lost in thought when Briar sat down opposite her with a bowl of porridge. Seeing that Sandry didn't notice him Briar set his bowl down on the table with a loud clank. Sandry jumped and looked up. When she saw who it was she smiled at him and when he smiled back Sandry's heart did a flip-flop. She got up and poured herself a glass of fruit juice. "I'm going for a walk when I get dressed, d'you wanna come?" Briar asked, Sandry was about to agree happily when a voice came from the staircase, "Can we come too?" Tris and Daja had appeared on the staircase. Sandry was a bit disappointed but Briar said, "Sure kids!"  
  
All four students were dressed in light clothes when they walked out the door half an hour later. They walked down to the bank by the river and lay lazily on the grass, basking in the warm Carp Moon sun. After a while they began to drift apart. Daja and Tris went off to sit under the shade of a tree, Briar went to talk to a group of 'kids' and Sandry lay on the grass watching him. One of the girls was about her age and was very pretty with long brown hair, cream coloured skin and long dark eyelashes which she kept fluttering at Briar. Sandry edged closer so she could hear what was being said. The girl kept teasing Briar and flicking her hair back over her shoulder with one hand, keeping the other resting on her hip. Briar wasn't much better though. To Sandry's dismay he teased the girl back and was being really cool and calm at the same time though his eyes sparkled with a mischievous look. The group around them started going off and the girl smiled coyly at Briar, kissed him on the cheek and with a little flicker of her hand to signal goodbye, ran off after them. Sandry turned away, feeling sick and not wanting to be caught watching him. 'I'm being such and idiot!' she scolded herself mentally, 'he thinks of you as a foster-sister and a friend. He wouldn't glance at you otherwise.' Briar ran back, a little red in the cheeks. Daja it seemed; had lost Tris but none of them were very worried about her, each wrapped up in their own thoughts.  
  
********************** Tris sniffed and wiped her watering eyes. She must be allergic to the type of tree she had climbed, she thought to herself, not admitting that she was crying. Why did she feel so alone when she couldn't talk to Capta? She wondered. She had her foster-family and.and Little Bear, (who by the way came back with her). She had all the friends she wanted; she didn't need some stuck-up, lying, snobbish prince. Only.she knew that she was lying to herself. Capta wasn't snobbish or stuck-up even if he did lie to her. And he wouldn't want to talk to her again even if she wanted to be friends again-which she didn't! That thought made Tris burst out crying again in a fresh wave of tears. She stifled a sob as through the leaves of her tree she saw the sky darkening and threatening black clouds appear. There was a brief pause of silence, then Tris sobbed and the heavens opened. Rain poured down like nothing she had seen before. All her anger and hatred at Capta welled up and broke free. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, hail came to join the rain, the wind blew hard and Tris forgot her sadness in the excitement of being up in that tree and being part of her storm.  
  
"Tris?" a familiar voice asked. At that moment the wind blew so hard that Tris feared that she would be blown off the tree and instead she climbed down and turned to face her visitor, her face screwed up with anger and her fists in bunches on her hips. Capta stood there, soaking and shivering in the cold. "Go Away" Tris said, her eyes like icicles and her voice just as sharp. "Tris I know what I did was inexcusable-" Capta began but Tris lashed out, "Inexcusable?! Inexcusable! No, Your Highness, what you did was more that inexcusable, what you did was unforgivable. Don't try to explain, just go away, don't come back and never come within 100 yards of me again you understand?" Tris yelled. She realised suddenly with a lurch of fright that if she got even a tiny bit angrier she would probably strike Capta with lightning. She took deep breaths and tried to become calm. "But Tris-" Capta said helplessly, "Now I see. Now everything is clear to me. That fancy horse was yours. You became apprentice to Honoured Moonstream not because you were powerful but because your father bought you your place there. You are a liar and a cheater and I don't want anything more to do with you so just leave me alone." Tris yelled, turned her back on him and ran.  
  
******************* "Sandry what is the matter?" Briar asked for the thousandth time. Sandry glared at him, then her face softened and she shook her head, "Nothing Briar, it doesn't matter" she said. "Oh remind me to ask Rosethorn if I can be allowed out at two o' clock tomorrow." Briar said to his companion. "Why?" Sandry asked curiously. Briar blushed a bit, "Well.did you see that girl I was talking to earlier on? I'm seeing her at two o' clock." He said. Sandry gaped at him, "Briar are you crazy? You don't even know this girl! You met her today and talked to her for about ten minutes and you're already best friends? Or more?" she shouted, "You really are shallow, you know that? You're meeting up with her just because she's a pretty girl and she likes you. That's all you care about isn't it? A pretty face who kisses you on the cheek. You don't actually care what she's like in personality, just as long as she's pretty and likes you. Whether for your looks or your personality you don't care. I can't believe you!" she said, her face filled with fury. She turned her back and walked away, leaving Briar scratching his head and gazing after her in astonishment and curiosity. And with a few hurt feelings.though he'd never admit that!  
  
********************** Yay! Another chapter done. Sorry it's so short, but I'll write more soon I promise. So please review and tell me what you think, Bye! 


	6. The Meaning of Friendship and more probl...

Chapter 6. The meaning of friendship; and more problems. Briar was lying on Discipline's roof, trying to stretch out the aches in his back after a full day of working in the garden. He was thinking about the things Sandry had said to him and wondering why she was so upset. He heard a quiet, little cough and turned to face his surprise companion. Seeing who it was Briar turned back to look out over Winding Circle, trying to spot Dedicate Crane's glasshouse. Sandry came to sit next to him, "I'm sorry Briar.for those things I said to you. I didn't mean it. Forgive me?" she asked.  
  
Briar rolled his eyes at her and said innocently, "Sorry? What was that you said?" Sandry chuckled and slapped him playfully on the knee, "You heard what I said! I know you just want to hear me apologise again!" Briar gazed at the horizon and said dreamily, "I'm just savouring this moment. The moment where a noble and the heir to the throne of Emelan apologises to me, and begs me for forgiveness!" He said, trying to keep a straight face. Sandry would've thrown a pillow at him if she had one. Instead she just settled for throwing her embroidery at him, with the needle conveniently sticking out of it. Briar yelped as the point of it pricked his cheek, then looked at Sandry in amazement. She saw his expression and asked what the matter was. "Well.you just threw some of your needlework. I've never known you to do that!" came the reply. Sandry shrugged and twirled a piece of hair round her finger, "I couldn't get it to work with me." She admitted.  
  
"What is it of?" Briar asked curiously and turned over the base of it. "No!" yelped Sandry, but it was too late. Briar examined the beginnings of a picture of Daja, Tris, Sandry, Niko, Frostpine, Rosethorn, Lark and himself with interest. "That's quite good!" he said. "Only Lark and I came out right," Sandry mumbled, "It's just the thread I used likes us but he refused to do the rest of you guys properly." Briar was thoughtfully quiet for a moment then he said, "You could probably fix that you know." He mused, "Maybe if you could do Rosethorn and me in dyed flax. You know because flax comes from plants. Then Tris and Niko maybe get them to put some of their magic in it and it might work better. Then Daja and Frostpine-" "They could give me some of their magic with flexible gold or copper wires that I could thread." Sandry murmured, interrupting her friend. "You know, I think that's what I'll do!" she beamed. She leant over and gave Briar's shoulder a quick squeeze. Just the tiniest of hugs, then she got up and scrambled down the ladder and disappeared back into the attic leaving Briar alone with a great feel of contentedness.  
  
****************** Pasco walked along the Temple road, a fierce glare on his face and every so often muttering angrily to himself. "Bag! She called me a MoneyBag! How could she? If she could catch a glimpse of how I've lived up until recently she'd change her mind fast enough. Hah! I'm high and mighty?! This coming from a girl who looks down her nose at me before I even say a word!" He saw a familiar figure ahead of him and ran to catch up with Briar. "Briar.whew!" he panted as he ran up to his teacher's friend. "Briar how do you put up with that student of yours? Honestly she's so annoying and so high and mighty! She called me a MoneyBag! And she's as common as they come, did you know she's a street rat? You're schooling a street rat! .." He went on about her as Briar became more and more angry. Plants all around him started moving and rustling angrily, trying to reach out and comfort him but Briar didn't let them.  
  
Suddenly he decided he couldn't stand it anymore and turned to Pasco and shook him, hard. "Listen that's my student you're talking about. And yes I know she used to be a street rat, 'cause as a matter of fact I used to be one too! And you say you don't have a high and mighty attitude but let me tell you this, if you didn't have one then you wouldn't be saying what you're saying, you wouldn't turn up your nose when I mention street rats. For Mila of the Grain's sake! You don't know what she's been through! At least you always had a decent meal and a warm bed at night. Evvy had no bed at all and would sometimes go for about three days or more without being able to get any other food than left over potato peelings and maybe an apple, if she was lucky. She also had about a dozen cats to feed. If you had seen the slums where she was forced to live in.she slept on the cold stone floor with one small dirty rag over her. And you know what else? She was sold by her own mother! Sold as a slave by her own flesh and blood. Her mother just told the man to get as much for her as he could and went off! Evvy escaped but had no money and had to become a street rat. It wasn't as if she had a choice. So for the Gods' sakes just please shut up!" Briar gave him one more hard shake and thrust him to the ground, then stalked off.  
  
********************* Niko sat at a table in the Hub with Lark, Rosethorn, Frostpine and Honoured Moonstream. All the adults had worried expressions on their faces and Niko and Moonstream had bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. Everyone had creases in their foreheads from having permanent, worried frowns on their faces. "Well it's official. Someone inside Winding Circle is working against us. Someone stole the safety spell keys and Winding Circle is defenceless in its walls without them. If someone tries to attack us then all we will have as protection is the magic of every person here. There could be more than one traitor or spy here for all we know, our job is to find out whoever it is and question them until we discover who is plotting against us. And in the meantime we will just have to try and make Winding Circle as safe as possible even without our protection spells." Moonstream said grimly. Lark shook her head gravely; Niko moaned softly and put his head in his hands and Frostpine looked sadly thoughtful. Rosethorn looked around at their distraught faces and pounded the table with a fist making all four other great mages jump. Rosethorn got up from the table and started pacing the floor, stamping hard with her fists clenched so tightly that they were white and her short nails were making deep marks in her ivory skin. Rosethorn didn't like being helpless.  
  
Moonstream looked up and asked hesitantly, "I don't suppose that.your four students could help?" Rosethorn glared at her, "Of course they can't! How could they help? They're only fifteen years old!" Moonstream looked back at her squarely, "I know that but.well I suppose I'll admit that I'm quite desperate and I'll resort to anything if it keeps Winding Circle safe. And Rosethorn - you know that if it wasn't for those four students you wouldn't be here right now. May I remind you that they saved your life-no they brought you back from the dead! And that was when they were eleven years old! Eleven! We didn't tell them then that it was impossible because they were exhausted and too young to understand but you know as well as I do that nobody in the history of the world had ever been able to do that and nobody else ever will be able to!" Rosethorn glared at Moonstream first but then she relented and looked down at her feet sheepishly and worriedly. Niko rubbed his face with hands tiredly and said drearily, "We have to try and get the spells back and in the meantime we'll just have to put up as many new protection wards as we can. None will be even a millionth as powerful as the keys but it's the best we can do." The other dedicates agreed and split up to go about their own work.  
  
**************** Tris was bored and moping. She wasn't even paying attention to the glorious rainstorm outside. She was just sitting by the window trying to read but failing to do so. As soon as she looked down at the page her mind wandered to thinking about what Capta was doing at that moment and if he was guilty or angry with himself or with her. Eventually she decided that she couldn't take it anymore and jumped up to find her friends. Sandry was in Lark's workroom, Daja was finishing up her chores and Briar was labelling bottles of medicines. Tris asked each of them if they wanted to do something fun and they all agreed but didn't know what to do. In the end they ended up playing a game of cards. They all sat down in the sitting room at a small table next to the fire and started playing. Halfway through the game Briar was beating them all by a long run. "I win that round as well!" he announced grandly. "No you don't!" Daja exclaimed, "My Sorceress of Darkness beats your Emperor of the Sea!" she added. "Yeah but my Enchantress of the Light beats your Sorceress of Darkness!" Briar argued. Daja looked at his cards, "Damn!" she muttered. Briar laughed. "How are you so good at cards?!" Sandry demanded to Briar. "When you live in the streets you soon learn that you can win a lot of money by gambling with over- confident, swaggering people who are sure they'll win. You have to be good at cards when you live like I did!" Briar answered.  
  
"Did any of you ever get a Diviner to tell your future?" Sandry asked them, her friends all shook their heads. "I did a few times, and it actually worked most times" she mused. "I think I might be able to try it, you know, just kinda guess it! Anyone want their fortune told?!" she asked cheerfully. The other girls hesitated but Briar jumped forward, "O.k. Miss. Diviner am I in luck?" he said jokingly. Sandry started to deal cards out face down as Daja and Tris looked on with interest. Sandry got Briar to point to a card then she flipped that one over, "First you have the Enchanter of the Earth, which shows your green magic." Briar nodded and pointed to a different one and Sandry continued in a mysterious voice. "Next you have the King of Hard Work, which -in connection to your first card- shows that soon you will have to use your power and your magic for some great task." "The next card shows the Sorceress of the Rose, which indicates romance. Next is the Lady of Light which shows that the romance will work out and will hold." Her voice took on a dark, ominous tone as she turned over the next card. "But look, we have the Duke of Darkness, so evil in his way that he clouds the mind and lurks in the shadows, ready to spring on us when we least expect it. So even though you shall have lots of good in your life, you have many troubles and evil things to overcome before you can reach that happiness." Briar shuddered and Daja and Tris made the God's Circle on their chests, something in Sandry's voice was worrying, she looked as if she were in a trance. She took her time flipping over the last card, her movements slow and deliberate. When she spoke, relief was plain in her voice, "But here is the Empress of all Hope, which shows that you may have troubles and there may be evil, but they can be defeated and there is always hope."  
  
Sandry jerked her head up suddenly and looked at her friends faces. She looked down at the cards that Briar had picked and said quizzically, "Did I make sense?" The others looked at her strangely, each wondering how it was that she didn't know what she had said. The moment of oddity passed almost instantaneously as Niko, Frostpine, Lark and Rosethorn came bursting through the door, sat down at the table and looked at their students seriously. "We need to talk." Niko said.  
  
****************** I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to put this chapter up but I've had a really bad case of writers block! Hope you like this chapter and could you review it PLEASE! I'll try to put another chapter up soon! Bye! 


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